Uniform TiO₂/SnO₂ composite nanopowders with different Ti/Sn molar ratio have been successfully prepared via the sol-gel route. The samples were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and infrared spectrum (IR). The crystal size of the as-synthesized TiO₂/SnO₂ nanopowders is about 80 nm according to the XRD calculation. XRD analysis shows that the diffraction peaks associated with SnO₂ can’t be found in XRD patterns when the molar ratio of TiO₂/SnO₂ is less than 10/1. The photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange (MeO) in TiO₂/SnO₂ suspension was investigated. The results indicate that the TiO₂/SnO₂ nanopowders show higher photocatalytic activity than pure TiO₂ when the molar ratio of TiO₂/SnO₂ is 10/1, but it will remarkably decrease with TiO₂/SnO₂ molar ratio of 1/1. The photocatalytic mechanism of TiO₂/SnO₂ nanopowders was discussed. In addition, the electric property of TiO₂/SnO₂ nanopowders suggests an inhibition electric effect at higher TiO₂ content. TiO₂/SnO₂ nanopowders with Ti/Sn molar ratio of 1/10 shows a resistivity of 1.4×10³ Ω·cm. The TiO₂/SnO₂ nanopowders indicate a potential application in photocatalytic and electronic materials based on its bifunctional characteristics.

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